Suspension-bridge.



N., H. STURGIS. SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

APPLICATION `FILED O CT. Il. |913.

Patented. June 22, 1915.

4 SHEETlIE-SHEET l.

STURG-IS.

SUSPENS|0N BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 11, 19m.

Patented June 22 1915. 4sHEETs*sHEETI2..

ATTORNEY N. H. STURGIS.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

APPLlcATloN men ocT. H, |913.

Patentd J une 22, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. W INVENTOR WlTNEssEs ZMWWLNM w, v

ATTORN EY Patented June 22, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N. H. STURGIS. SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

APPLI'CAUON FILED OCT. Il, 1913.

ATToRN EY v g/VINVENTOR WITNEssEs l MMM NELSON H. STURGJIS, 0F GUTHRIE,@KLS` SUSPENSION-BRIDGE.

Maaate.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratchet-u aan@ ae, mit.

Application filed october 11, 1913. Serial No. 794,702.

The invention relates to improvements in.

suspension bridges.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofsuspension bridges and to lprovide a simple and comparativelyinexpensive construction adapted to relieve from wear, due to expansion,contraction andl vibration, the sus ension cables, which sustain theentire weight of the bridge between the towers, and to equip the bridgewith means for maintaining in proper spaced relation the hanger rodswhich support the needle beams and floor structure whereby the camber ofthe bridge will be maintained the same at all times.

A further object of the invention is to enable the needle beams andfloor structure to be adjusted vertically to preserve a level conditionof the same and to also adjustably connect the hand railing with thehanger rods to maintainthe railing plumb.

Another object of the invention is to firmly anchor the licor structurein place and stien the bridge sidewise and thereby lessen the strain yonthe laterale.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists inthefconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended; it' being understood that various changes inthe form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within thescope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacricing any of the advantages ofthe invention.

ln the drawings z--Figure l is a side elevation of a suspension bridgeconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargedside elevation of a portion of the suspension bridge. Fig. 3 is ahorizon.

tal sectional view of the suspension bridge. Fig. 4 isa transversesectional view on the line H of Fig. 2. Fig .'5- is an enlargedhorizontal sectionalviewthrough one of the needle beams. Y Fig. 6 is atransverse sec-V tional view on the e 6--6 of Fig.

- 7 is a detail vertical, sectionalview through the upper portion of oneof the towers or columns, taken longitudinally of the bridge. Fig. 8 isa similar view takentransversely of the bridge. Fig. 9 is an enlargeddetail sectional view illustrating the construction` of the cable clampsfor connecting the hanger rods, the spacing rods and the -v vclinedtruss rods with the cable. Fig.I 10 1s an enlarged detail sectional viewillustrating the manner of securing the lower` terminals of the inclinedtruss rods to the needle beams. Fig. l1 is a detail sectional view onthe line lll-11 of Fig. 2, illustrating the means for adjustablyconnecting the hand railing with the hanger rods. Fig. l2 is a detailsectional view on the line 12-12 of Fig. 2, illustrating the means forclamping the floor to the stringers.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferredembodiment of the invention, l, 1 designate a pair ofsuspension cableslocated at opposite sides of the suspension bridge and designed tosustain the entire weight of the same between supporting columns ortowers 2 which are mounted upon shore abutments or foundations 3 ofmasonry or any other desired construction. The towers or columns whichpreferably consist of Ystructural steel are illustrated in the drawingsas consisting of spaced vertical flanged beams or y,members i connectedby a lattice or lacing '5 to form a trussed structure, and alsoconnected at the top by a cap piece 51l secured to the side beams ormembers 4: by angle plates 6 or other suitable means. Any otherpreferred construction of columns or towers may be employed, and saidcolumns or towers are also preferably connected at their upper .portionsby a horizontally disposed transversely arranged trussed frame 7 ofstructural steel or other suitable material. The columns or towers areequipped atl their tops beneath the cap plates or pieces 5 with groovedpulleys or sheaves 8 receiving and forming rests for the cables -1 andadapted to `permit the same to yield to the expansion and contractionand vibration without causing the wear which necessarily results whenrelatively fixed cable rests are employed. The'grooved' pulleys orsheaves are mounted upon shafts or spindles 9 piercing the side beams ormembers of the towers or columns and slida-bly secured to the same.

The shore ends l of the suspension cables .Y 1 are suitably secured toanchors 11 prefproximately cylindrical erably in the form of barsembedded in an' chor abutments 12, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedra-wings, but the terminals of the cables may be anchored in any otherpreferred manner and in practice the suspension cables will be ofsufficient size vto sustain the weight of the bridge, and while a.single cable7is shown at each side of the bridge in the accompanyingdrawings, yet it will be readily understood that a plurality of cablesmay beL employed instead of providing a single excessively thick cablewhere great strength is necessary.

Suspended from the cables 1 at intervals throughout the length of thebridge are v ertical hanger rods 13 provided at their upper ends witheyes 14 through which pass transverse bolt'sr15 which also pierce thesides 16 of mibstantially U-shaped clamps l 17 centrally thereof. Theclamps are comarranged in -pairs at the 'ends of the clamp *andextending through eyes 21 and 22of spacing rods 23 andoppositelyinclined truss rods 24 and securing the same to the clamp. vThe eyes 21of the spacing rods are located at the upper ortions o f-the clamps atop- -posite sides o the hanger rods, and the upper ends of the inclinedtruss rods are located below the eyes 'of the hanger rods. By firmlysecuring the clamps to the cablesand spacing them by the rods 23 ashereinafter fully explained, the camber of the bridge is maintained thesame at all times. The bolts 15, 19 and 20 which connect the sides ofthe clamp are equipped, with nuts and are adapted to draw, the sides ofAthe clamp together` 1 to produce the desired -clamping or gripping maypass directly through thesai action on the; cable. The lower'ends of thehanger rods 13 extend through vertically alined openings 25 ofhorizontal plates '26 riveted or otherwise secured to the top andbottom'flanges of transverse needle beams 27 which preferably consistof--I-beams., The upper and lower horizontal terminal plates 26 whichare iitted against the top and bottom flanges of theneedle beams formexten-` sions of the said angesand provide simple,

strong and effective means for connecting thelower ends of thehangerrods with the needle beamsat the Iniedian plane -of the same withoutpiercing the webs of the needle beams but the lower ends of the han errods Y p p needle beams if desired. The lower ends of the hanger rodsare threaded at 28A to receivev maintained in proper level position. Thei series of rods 23 which maintain the clamps in proper spaced relationextend longitudinally of the suspension cable 1- and are lo- Icatedbeneath the same and each rod is arranged substantially parallel with ashort section of the adjacent cable 1, and the series of rods followingthe curve of the cables are provided with turnbuckles 30 located at apoint intermediate of the ends of the spacing rods and connectingthreaded sections thereof and adapted to adjust the said rods andmaintain the same under the proper tension. The spacing rods 23 at theends of the span of the bridge are secured tothe columns or towersbetween the vertical side beams or members thereof by bolts 31 arrangedat points adjacent to the ulleys or sheaves 8. The oppositely inclinedtruss rods 24 which are crossed at opposite sides of the bridge areprovided at points intermediate of their ends withturn-buckles- 32 andhave lower threaded terminals 33 extending through openings 34 in theweb portions of the needle beams 27 and through openings 35 and 36 invertically disposed angle lates 37 riveted to the side faces of the we sof the needle beams opposite the openings 34, as clearly illustrated inFig. 10 of the drawings.

The' angle plates 37 consist of vertical terminal attaching portions 38and approximately V-shaped intermediate portions composed of upper andlower sides or wings'arranged at an angle to the webs of the needlebeams. The lower sides or wings of the angularly disposed portionsfofthe angle plates 37 are set perpendicularly to the 1n clined truss rodsand they form abutments for nuts 39 which are arranged on the thrieadedterminals 33 of the inclined truss ro s.

' Theneedle beams are braced by laterals or diagonallydisposed trussrods40 crossed centrally between the needlefbeams and having threadedterminals 41 extending through openings 42 in the webs of the needlebeams beams The intermediate angular portions of the angleplates'44'hav'c inner and outerq openings 45 and 46, and the outer sidesor wings are vset perpendicularly to the diago-v nal truss rods whichareprovided with turnbuckles 47. The angleplates which are constructedof steel or other suitable material are designed to take the place ofangle wash.

nie

titanes ers ordinarily employed at such points to provide angularlydisposed abutting faces for nuts or other fastening means.

-The Hoor structure comprises longitudinal stringers 48 and 49, thestringers 48 being arranged at the sides of the bridge andpreferabljconsisting of channels, as shown, while the intermediatestringers 49 are preferably formed by I-beamsas clearly illustrated inFig. 4 of the drawings. The stringers which are suitably secured to theneedle beams will in practice, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings,break joints with one another so that the joints of all the stringerswill not occur at the same needle beam. The string'- ers 48 and 49support flooring V50 consisting of transversely disposed boards laidupon the stringers 48 and49 and firmly clamped against the same bylongitudinal guard rails 51 located at opposite sides of the 'iioorstructure and connected at intervals with the side stringers 48 bysubstantially vertical hook bolts 52 engaging under the said sidestringers 48 and piercing the ooring and the guard rails and havingupper threaded ends 53 which are equipped with nuts 54. The hook bolts52 with their nuts 54v adjustably and detachably connect the guard railswith the side stringers andV enable the 'desired clamping action to beexerted on the iooring and at the same timethey are adapted to permitthe boards of the flooring to be readily removed and renewed when worn.

The bridge is equipped at opposite sides with hand railings 55 composedlof vertical.

posts 56 and spaced upper and lower horizontal bars 57 and 58 whichare'connected by lacing or trussing, 59. rlihe horizontal bars areHanged as shown and the posts which are also flanged are suitablysecured at their lower ends to the side stringers 48 and are supportedby outer inclined braces 59a mounted upon terminal projecting portions'of angle bars 70. The hand railing is adjustably connected with thehanger rods by hook bolts 60 having their hooks engaged with the saidhanger rods and provided with threaded inner terminal bolts 61 piercingthe adjacent posts of the hand railing and provided with nuts 62arranged in pairs and clamping the said posts at opposite sides thereof.By this construction the posts are adjustably connected with the hangerrods and the hand railings are -thereby adapted to be maintained inaplumb condition.

rlhe inclined truss rods at the terminals of the span ofthe suspensionbridge .are provided at the towers or columns with threaded terminals 63piercin plates 64 and 65 and having nuts 66 w ich engage enlargements 67formed on the plates 64 and having angularly disposed faces arrangedperpendicularly to the inclined truss rods. rlFhe span or centralportion of the bridge is of uniform width and the terminal portionssuspension cables.

What is claimed is: 1. A suspension bridge including suspension cables,means for supporting the same,

'hanger' rods depending from the cables at short intervals and adaptedto support a fioor structure, and series of spacing rods connected withand maintaining the hanger rods in proper spaced relation, each spacingrod being arranged in substantial parallelism with a short section ofthe ad'acent cable and the seriesof spacing rods following the curve ofthe cables.

ZIA suspension bridge including suspension cables, clamps arranged onthe suspension cables and composed'of spaced sides and a top connectingportion, depending hanger rods having their upper terminals securedbetween the sides of the clamps centrally thereof, said hanger rodsbeing adapted t0 support a floor structure, a series of spacing rodslocated beneath the cable and extending longitudinally thereof andhaving their terminals secured' between the sides of the clamps at theupper portions thereof at opposite sides of the hanger rods, andoppositely inclined truss rods having theirk upperA ends secured betweenthe sides of the clamps below the terminals of the spacing rods.

3. A suspension bridge including suspen- -sion cables, means forsupporting the same, cable clamps arranged on the cables at shortintervals and provided with adjusting means for causing the clamps togrip the cables, hanger rods connected with and depending from theclamps and adapted to support a floor structure, and series of spacingmembers located at and extending longitudinally of the suspension cablesand connected with the clamps to hold the .same against movement on thecables and positively maintain the said clamps in proper spacedrelation, each spacing member being arranged in substantial parallelismwith a short section of the adjacent cable and the series of spacingmembers following the curve of the cables.

4. A suspension bridge includlng suspension cables, means for supportingthe same,

clamps arranged on the suspension cables,

hanger rods depending from the clamps and adapted to support a" floorstructure, and series of spacing rods located adjacent to the cables andhaving their terminals secured within the clampsand `provided withadjusting means for varying the length of the v s .I

tial parallelism with a short section of the ad] acentcable and theseries of spacing rods following the curve 'of the cables.

means for supporting the same, hanger rods depending from the cables,needle beams, connected with the lower ends of the hangir 10V' e rods,stringers supported by the nee beams,handrailings arranged at oppositesides of the bridge and supported upon and connected at the bottom withthe stringere,

'hand railings with the h tion. f, 6. f means for supporting the same,hanger rods and adjustable means for connecting the er rods formaintaining the said railingsv 1n a plumb posi- A mensen bridgeincluding' ames,

.depend from the cables, needle beams' connecte with the lower endsofthe hanger rods, a floor .structure supported by the needle beams,hand rails arranged at opposite sides of the bridge, supported upon and(5. A suspension bridge, including cables, a

connected at the lbottom w1t the floor structure, and adjustable hookbolts' arranged horizontall with their hooks aging the hanger ro andconnecting ishe and Vrailings with the same to maintain the said, handrailings in a plumb position.

In testimony, that I' claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaiixed my signature 1n the presence ofA two witnesses.

.NELSON H; STURGIS.

Witnesses:

- R.'J. CONWAY, l Finn)l Brom

